Faqs

Frequently Asked Questions for testers

Just arrived here? Probably these FAQs will solve most of your first doubts. They have been created by Users for Users so we do really hope they'll be helpful for you too. But in the case they don't, feel free to join the ReactOS Forum or the IRC channel.
As easy as clicking in one of the following buttons:

How do I test ReactOS?

Testing ReactOS can be done in two different ways. By installing ReactOS thanks to the BootCD or by non-installing it using a LiveCD. You can find both downloads in our Download page.

What's a LiveCD?

A LiveCD let's you try ReactOS without installing it. This way you don't have to format your PC, and you can be totally safe about your files in it. However it has its drawbacks: You need to burn a CD, it uses your RAM, so as soon as you turn off the computer all your changes in ReactOS won't be kept, and several features are missing due this limitation. That's the reason we encourage to use a Virtual Machine instead.

What's a BootCD?

A BootCD let's you install ReactOS. You can choose between installing ReactOS in a formatted computer, as you would install any operating system. The BootCD Download is just a zipped ISO file. Just burn the ISO into a CD, and put it in your favourite machine. Installing ReactOS will format your hard drive, so don't use in a PC which have valuable data in it! That's one of the reasons we really encourage to use a Virtual Machine.

A Virtual...what?

A Virtual Machine. Probably the most comfortable way to do proper and real testing without moving from your current operating system. A virtualizer (as VBOX, VMWARE, KQEMU) is just an app which is installed in your current OS. In such app you can install ReactOS. This way you can have ReactOS running inside your OS while at the same time you are running other apps.

Which are the advantage of running ReactOS in a Virtual Machine?

Tons. Really. First: Your operating system is safe. The app, the virtualizer, controls ReactOS and doesn't it let affect in any way your operating system. The virtualizer "jails" ReactOS in a sector of your harddisk preventing any issue. Second: You can install apps in ReactOS in a permanent way. This doesn't happen when using a LiveCD, where any reboot makes you lose any changes. Third: You don't need to burn a CD, as you would need if you want to install ReactOS with a BootCD or testing it with a LiveCD. Just feed the virtualizer with the ISO downloaded. Fourth: You don't need to have hardware available around. The virtualizer is an app which fakes hardware and makes ReactOS believe it is running in "real hardware".

Is it difficult to install and set a virtualizer?

Not at all. Just download Vbox, Vmware, or Kqemu. Install it and feed it with the LiveCD iso or the BootCD one. Since the virtualizer just "fakes" a hardware, you can test ReactOS in both LiveCD or installed via Bootcd mode. Just feed with the proper ISO. You can find a "How to install ReactOS in a virtualizer" in this link. If you want to become a real ReactOS Tester, you will end mastering the virtualizer of your choose.

What's a ReactOS Tester?

In ReactOS you can find ReactOS Developers, ReactOS Contributors, and ReactOS Testers, among others, officially recognized and really valuable out there by IT Companies. However, becoming a ReactOS Tester is not just testing randomly apps here or there because...well..that's an user. A ReactOS Tester is a step forward. A ReactOS Tester is supposed to install ReactOS in virtual machines, to report bugs properly with debug logs, able to track down regressions, and being reachable by the ReactOS team when a special testing is need to be done.